How much flow???

i would measure out the longest run. i just measured mine from the floor up and then just guessed at the size of pump. i am not really shure how to measure for two
 
The pressure/output is cut in half at each split, but the loss is doubled at each split so it's actually less efficient to split it, but in a system like this it really shouldn't be a big deal. you are better to run it in a single run as far as you can and split as close to the output as possible. Again, go with the 1200 gph. You need 600 gph. with the loss and the split output, you will likely be over what you need but not by too much.
 
yeah thats the way I was thinking. 1200 is my mark for gph I gotta double check the measurements but I do believe If I'm counting correctly I'll have 8 feet of head? My sump is 36 long and it's going on one end of the stand. so one return will be straight up not counting the 90's I'll have to put on it and then the second return has to run roughly 6 feet then up the two feet to the top of the tank. wich would make right around 8 feet of head minus the 90's.
 
was just looking at the chart again, and you could probably get by with the 900/950 but the 1200 would be a sure bet.
 
ok I'm gettin a little confused so I will explain how I want to plumb this and if a 1200 will work sweet, if not you can tell me what I need. from the sump it will go up and T off one for each of the returns with the 90's to get the pipes vertical. will a 1200 gph pump work??? sorry if I'm making you guys repeat yourself. I hate it when I have to do that. Just don't want to mess this up.
 
I would add a branch from the return pump that goes back to the sump, with a ball valve on it. That way, you can control the output from the pump and put less back pressure on it. The ball valve will redirect flow back into the sump if necessary, instead of just blocking it off altogether.
 
hey Biff I understand what your saying I'm just having a hard time picturing it can you make a real quick sketch of it so I have an idea of what your saying. And Daugherty, how would that y line run parallel sp*? to the bottom of the tank?? Space is Really tight especially after all of the plumbing so I was attempting to run the lines along the back of the stand as close to eachother as possible.
 
i'll try my best...
Here's the best I could do in Paint. The circle is the ball valve. You control how much flow goes back to the tank using the ball valve on the line that returns to the sump, without putting as much back pressure on the pump. You can either use a T or a Y for the return lines.

Nevermind. I keep getting an error message when I try to attach the drawing. Basically you need two Ts. Return pump is attached T1. One branch of T1 goes back to the sump. The other goes to T2. T2 goes back up to the tank, one branch to each side of the tank. There is a ball valve attached to the side of T1 that goes back to the sump. You use this to control how much flow goes back up to your tank -- the rest goes right back to the sump.
 
ok I understand except for the placement of the ball valve. if the ball valve is on the line heading back to the sump won't the water just bypass the T intersection? (Well not completely but not really doing a whole bunch) Now if it were on top of the T it would re-direct the flow back into the sump. I.E. no backpressure on the pump. Is that what you meant by the T intersection? and the placement of the ball valve, or am I missing something??
 
No. If the ball valve is closed, all of the water will go back to the tank. If it's 100% opened, half of the water will go to the tank and half will go back to the sump. If you put the ball valve right at the T, it doesn't really matter which side you put it on.
 
ok I made a paint sketch can't figure out google sketch up:grumble:. where do I put the ball valve. It is symbolized as the slash through the pipe
 

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ok so it goes on the sump side. Break it down to me one more time how it'll be beneficial to the plumbing and return for the tank?
 
just to muddy to the water a bit, putting a T back to the sump to allow some of the water to redirect into the sump is really not necessary. Hear me out... If you just put a ball valve in the line that restricts the flow from lets say 1200 to 900 gph, the back pressure it creates on the pump is no different than the pressure that would be created if you had a 10 foot run on a 1200 gph pump which would also reduce the flow from 1200 to 900. Now they all have their limits and most pumps will say something along the lines of "not recommended for use above 10 feet" but if you are only moderately reducing the flow with a ball valve, it shouldn't harm the pump in any way.
 
You are going to need to put a ball valve somewhere on your return line. You have to be able to control the flow back to the tank. If your pump is too strong, the tank will overflow. If it's not strong enough, the sump will overflow. The ball valve lets you find that happy place in the middle where nothing is flooding.

You can put the ball valve straight in front of the return pump. But that creates back pressure (water pushing back on the pump), and some pumps are not meant to be operated with back pressure. Instead, you redirect the flow back to the sump. This puts a lot less back pressure on the pump, since you are simply making the water go in a different direction rather than stopping it cold.
 
it really isn't as tough as we are making it, and Biff's idea is sound in theory, just not necessary if your pump is closely rated to your flow needs
 
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